...it does bring into question whether the 2010 album is worth its price for fans of the score. In its favor, the additional material is noteworthy, including outstandingly restrained performances of the title theme in "Bat Zone" and "Showdown I." The bonus tracks at the end of the second CD include two alternate versions of the overture, but with only subtle changes. Ironically, the "Joker's Commercial" is the most entertaining (and far better in sound quality). The final track has a hidden recording at the end with the studio crew seemingly drunkenly performing "Beautiful Dreamer" complete with catcalls, testimony to the toll that long days of recording must take on peoples' sanity.

On the other hand, the La-La Land product really didn't live up to the hype that it initially generated because of its sound quality issues.

Kamis, September 23, 2010

The long-awaited Cirque du Soleil production that will take up residence at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood next summer finally has a name and a creative team. "Iris," written and directed by Philippe Decouflé, is set to make its world premiere at the Kodak in the summer of 2011, according to the company. The production will pay homage to the history of filmmaking and is expected to feature dance, acrobatics, live video, filmed sequences and animation. Composer Danny Elfman is writing the original score for "Iris." Elfman is best known for his scores to the movies of Tim Burton as well as the opening theme for the animated TV series "The Simpsons."

Minister Sandro Bondi blasted the decision of the jury to award the festival's top prize to Sofia Coppola's "Somewhere." In the wake of the festival, which concluded Sept. 11, the Italian media charged the choice showed favoritism toward Coppola, Tarantino's former girlfriend.

Tarantino was also criticized for the jury's decision to present Tarantino's mentor, iconic independent filmmaker Monte Hellman, with a career award, and for giving two major awards to Alex de la Iglesia, a long-time friend of the 47-year-old Tarantino.

An eclectic, talented and multifaceted musician, actor, singer and composer. In the 1970s, he joined an avant-garde comedy/music/theatre group founded by his brother Richard that would later become the ska-rock band “Oingo Boingo” of which he was the lead singer until the 1990s. Able to mix the most diverse styles, from classical to rock, to jazz, to goth, always with a sardonic touch, Elfman has been working in motion pictures since 1985, when director Tim Burton asked him to write the music for Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. The Elfman-Burton collaboration grew tighter with the music for Beetlejuice and Batman, which earned Elfman a Grammy, and continued with Edward Scissorhands, Batman, and Batman Returns, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!, The Corpse Bride, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. Elfman’s music for Good Will Hunting, Men In Black, Big Fish and Milk earned him four Oscar nominations. He has also composed the scores for such diverse films as Midnight Run, Spider-Man 1 & 2, Dick Tracy, Sommersby, Mission: Impossible Hellboy 2, Next Three Days and many others. Elfman is also well known for his classic television themes to The Simpsons, Tales from the Crypt and Desperate Housewives. Elfman’s first full-length orchestral commission, Serenada Schizophrana premiered at Carnegie Hall. He made his ballet debut with the American Ballet Theatre with Rabbit and Rogue with choreography by Twyla Tharp.